1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method to assist in the lifting of a wheeled stretcher, and, more particularly, to a detachable lift assist apparatus for a wheeled stretcher.
2. Description of the Related Art
Wheeled stretchers with a capacity of 400-660 pounds are known in the art. Wheeled stretchers have an extendable undercarriage to allow emergency personnel to lift the stretcher to a desired height for transport. The extendable undercarriage also retracts when the wheeled stretcher is placed into an emergency vehicle. Wheeled stretchers range in weight from approximately 50 pounds to approximately 80 pounds. In addition, ancillary equipment such as oxygen tanks, I.V. posts and related medical articles are often attached to or contained on a wheeled stretcher, thereby adding to the weight. Emergency personnel lift a patient into and onto the wheeled stretcher and the stretcher is elevated. Emergency personnel are required to roughly equally lift the patient plus the weight of the stretcher to an elevated position while releasing a mechanism that allows the undercarriage of the wheeled stretcher to extend, drawn by the force of gravity.
In many job descriptions for emergency personnel it is not unusual to see the requirement that the individual must regularly lift and move more than 100 pounds. This is in the job description because it is not unusual for the emergency personnel to consist of a team of two people, one at each end of a wheeled stretcher. When a patient is placed upon a wheeled stretcher, the emergency personnel position themselves at the end of the wheeled stretcher to lift it. During the lifting period the emergency personnel are lifting the patient weight plus the medical apparatus connected to the stretcher as well as the weight of the stretcher. The weight lifted by each person often greatly exceeds 100 pounds. The lifting requirements of the emergency personnel often put a strain on the backs of the emergency personnel. This has been noted to such an extent that many emergency personnel are trained in lifting and moving patients. Much of the training has to do with lifting techniques, ways of carrying patients and even methods of pushing and pulling the wheeled stretchers. Emergency personnel attempt to use safe lifting techniques by using their legs rather than their back to lift, they also try to keep the weight of the patient in the wheeled stretcher as close to their body as possible. In lifting the weight of the patient there are many considerations; emergency personnel are encouraged to obtain additional help if the patient is particularly heavy. This however is often impossible or impractical because often only two individuals are sent on an emergency run.
One of the problems with the current method is that emergency personnel can be injured in lifting patients; in particular, heavy patients on wheeled stretchers.
What is needed in the art is an easy to use apparatus to reduce the amount of weight that each emergency personnel must lift in elevating a patient on a wheeled stretcher.